We sincerely hope that your summer is most enjoyable. We are looking forward to our September opening at our Bergenfield location with high hopes and great expectations for the coming school year.
The administration, faculty and staff have been working over the summer to ensure that everything is ready for the students. Our efforts included not only the normal general cleaning and the consolidation at Bergenfield, but the following improvements:
t Painting of the top floor classrooms and hall in the main building
t New floor tiles in all the upper floor classrooms
t Establishing a new science lab in the former music room (all new furniture and flooring)
t Creation of the EnTech (engineering and technology lab)
t Refurbishing of the school’s main offices
t Painting the playground shed
t Painting the acoustical wall in Conlon Hall
t Upgrading the LAN (Local Area Network) for our computer network
v Redoing the ceiling tiles in Conlon Hall
v Installing new air conditioners in the upper floor rooms
v Converting all blackboards to dry erase white boards
All students, grades 1-8, should report to school at 8 AM on Tuesday, Sept. 7th, at Conlon Hall. Kindergarten begins on Wednesday, the 8th and Pre-K orientation will be on the 9th at 9 AM All classes the first week of school are half days.
Before and After Care programs as well as the regular class schedule for all grades begin, Monday, September 13th. Before and After Care program cards are to be purchased in advance and the Teacher - in – Charge will mark the card at the time it is used. Once the number of hours purchased have been reached, another card may be purchased. No child will be admitted to the program unless a valid card is on file.
Please ensure that your children report to school on time throughout the school year, and are in the proper uniform. The uniforms are to be complete, correctly worn and clean. No sneakers are allowed, except on gym days with the proper gym uniform.
With the continued threat of terrorist attacks, we again are reminded of the importance of protecting our children. Transfiguration Academy is in compliance with the State of New Jersey School Security Program, as well as the Archdiocesan Protecting God’s Children Program. All visitors must enter via the front entrance and report to the school office and wear the visitors tag provided, while in the building.
We also request that no unauthorized vehicles enter the faculty parking lot during school hours (the area between the rectory and the school), and that no vehicle be left running, unattended or block the fire lanes. Please observe a speed limit, in the parking lot, of 5 MPH, as children may be present.
Enjoy the rest of the summer. We look forward to seeing you in September.
Mr. Tralongo
Mr. Tralongo
Principal
(v Scheduled but not yet completed as of this writing)
The Question: Are we Gambling with our Children’s Futures?
Pres. Obama has pledged to add $900 million in his 2011 budget to the $3.5 billion he earmarked for school-improvement funds last year, as part of the stimulus package. Under those guidelines, schools and districts could adopt one of four strategies to qualify for the funds:
• A turnaround, in which the staff is replaced, and a new instructional program is adopted.
• A school closure, in which students are enrolled in other, better-performing schools in the district.
• A “restart,” in which the school is reopened as a charter school
• A school “transformation,” in which the school takes steps to improve by addressing curricula, structure, governance, and teacher education.
Still, some educators note that there is no research proving the effectiveness of these approaches.
One recent study, by the Consortium on Chicago School Research, examined the effects on students of closing 18 elementary schools – the strategy on which the Obama administration’s “closure” option is based – and found that a majority of students were sent to schools that were just as low-performing.
The problem with [the administration’s emphasis on turnaround strategies] is that there is no evidence on what works in turning around low-performing schools. So they’re placing a large bet on an unproven approach,” says Grover “Russ” Whitehurst, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and director of the Brown Center on Education Policy. “There’s an intuition here – that we all share – that if you can get rid of the worst schools and put into their place better schools, that’s good. But we don’t know how to do that.” (excerpt from Christian Science Monitor Article)
YES WE DO!
The Answer: TRANSFIGURATION ACADEMY
It has been a challenging and rewarding year for all involved with Transfiguration Academy. Our accomplishments Exceeded expectation. Re-accredited by the Middle States Association of Elementary Schools, achieving the “Best Transportation System” award in the “Future Cities” Engineering Competition, winning several awards in the Bergen Catholic High School Art Contest, and achieving among the highest writing scores in the Archdiocese of Newark. This year’s graduating class, won over $970,000 in scholarships, bringing the 4 year total of scholarships and grants won by our graduates to over Two Million Three Hundred Thousand Dollars! ($2,300,000)
The Academy however is more than academics; it is about character and faith formation, based on our Catholic Christian beliefs and tradition. Our students put their faith into action. This year, Academy students collected food for the needy, raised over $3000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and raised funds for the Holy Childhood Society and over $1,000 for Haitian Earthquake victims.
We all can be justly proud of these achievements. The seeds of academic achievement and character formation have found fertile soil. Our seedlings have been nourished due to our co- sponsoring parishioners’, tender loving care and support, and are growing in the warm sunlight of our faith.
The Academy is a proven entity which has achieved the highest standards in Catholic education.
Let us contribute to your child’s success. Don’t gamble on their future!
Invest in their Future!!!!!!!
Catholic Schools – Dividends For Life
Registration is now open!
Join the Award winning student body. With awards and scholarships over $ 2.3 Million
With Gospel Values taught both in the classroom and by example
The question still remains---
Can you afford not to send your child to Transfiguration?
Call 201-384-3627
To register or make an appointment
CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES!
We congratulate our 8th grade graduates and their families. This year’s graduating class distinguished themselves by winning over $950,000 in academic scholarships ands grants.
We’re Consolidating! IT’S A Good Thing!
In preparation for the future advancement of the Academy, we are consolidating our educational activities from two campuses to one.
The Bergenfield campus has excess capacity and is centrally located in the communities we serve. During the past few years, steady progress has been made to enhance this campus and plans for continued improvement of this location will be implemented this summer. Consolidating at the Bergenfield location positions the Academy for future growth. Economically, the cost of maintaining two locations, and maintaining redundant or shared staffing proved to be too cumbersome and less efficient than we would like, or which you, our parents and guardians deserved. Concentrating our efforts on one location will give us the economies of scale necessary to continue the excellent progress we have made as a premier educational institution within the Archdiocese of Newark.
An article in “Working Mother” Magazine entitled, “What makes a Great School?” states that there are 5 things you want to know about a school….
1) Do the principal and the district have a plan to improve academics and challenge students?
Since the merger Transfiguration Academy has focused on building upon and improving the academics offered. We have placed in the top 10 of the Future Cities Engineering Competition twice, won the Bergen Catholic HS Academic Challenge, had the highest writing scores in the Archdiocese, and $2.3 million dollars in scholarships, just to mention a few.
2) Do teachers and students work together on projects and are flexible in their teaching methods?
At Transfiguration Academy, we pride ourselves on differentiated instruction, so that each student achieves his or her best. At Transfiguration Academy, we truly believe our mission: Strengthening faith, Enlightening minds, Transforming hearts ……one student at a time.
3) How are special needs meet?
The faculty works closely with Region V Learning Consultants and our school Social Worker to identify special needs and to ensure the all Individual Service Plans are implemented and followed. Students are offered tutoring by our teachers who volunteer their free time.
4) How Diverse is the School?
We take pride in the diversity of our student body and faculty and recognize that we all belong to the Family of Mankind and the Spiritual Body of Christ!
5) Is their an active parent organization?
Our Home School Association is in the forefront of fundraising and instrumental in providing programs for our children.
As you can tell from the above, Transfiguration Academy is a Great School and will continue to be such. We, the administration, faculty and staff pledge to continue to use our God-given talents toward enhancing our school and maintaining our educational leadership in Catholic Education.
Trusting in God, we rely on your continued support and prayers.
MIDDLE STATES ASSCOCIATION REAFFIRMS TRANSFIGURATION ACADEMY’S ACCREDITATION
The Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools is pleased to announce that Transfiguration Academy has bee awarded accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
The award was announced by Dr. Thomas L. Seidenberger, Chair of the Commission. MSCES accreditation signifies the educational community of Transfiguration Academy has engaged in a rigorous process of developing self-knowledge; has hosted an evaluation team of independently appointed educators; and has created an on-going Strategic Plan to move school improvement forward. MSCES accreditation also signifies the Transfiguration Academy has met the MSCES Standards for a quality school. These standards reflect current research and best practices from throughout the education profession.
Michelle Scarpantonio, won 1ST Place in the Tri-Valley Lodge O.S.I.A. Essay Contest. The essays were graded teachers from the Hackensack School District . Michelle received her 1st place prize, a $100 savings bond at a ceremony held at Coopers Pond Pavilion on May 27th.
Academy Students win 25% of ALL Awards at Bergen Catholic H.S. Youth Art Festival.
Third /Fourth Grade Category
Lorenzo Cortezano 1st Place Drawing
Jeremy Varghese 1st Place Painting
Kris Penaflor 2nd Place Painting
Erin Malonzo 3rd Place Painting
Fifth / Sixth Grade Category
Elena Nattes 3rd Place Drawing
C. Xavier Rossmann 2nd Place Drawing
Iris Park 2nd Place Painting
Yashaar Hafizka 3rd Place Painting
Seventh / Eighth Grade Category
Chang Kim 2nd Place Drawing
Transfiguration Academy:
Award Winning Academic Achievement, Fine Arts Curriculum, and Superior Technology, Built on a Foundation of Gospel Values.
Registration for the 2010 /2011 School Year is open
Call us at 201-384-3627 or 201-836-7074.
H.S.A. Announces Officers for the 2010 /2011 School Year
Elections for the Executive Board of the Home School Association were held at May 11 general meeting.
We are pleased to announce the Executive Board for the upcoming year:
President: Craig Von der Osten
Vice President: Irene Sanders
Secretary: Phyllis Adams
Treasurer: Rowena Bautista
Marketing: Lesa Rossman
Members At Large: Ann Gangi
Caroline Olmo
Carlette Roberts
Internal Audit: Malu Canlas Appointed (Non -Voting)
Registration for the 2010 /2011 School Year is open
We would like to invite anyone interested in attending Transfiguration Academy in the fall to call our Lower School in Bergenfield (Pre K – 4th Grades) at 201-384-3627 and our Upper School in New Milford (5th – 8th Grades) at 201-836-7074. We will be happy to conduct tours of our facilities and discuss our outstanding curriculum and the latest technological advances that make Transfiguration Academy a leader in educational excellence.
We are now taking registration applications for the 2010-2011 school year.
Lessons From Catholic Schools for Public
Educators (Excerpts from the New York Times)
By SAMUEL G. FREEDMAN
Within the 242 pages of Diane Ravitch’s lightning rod of a book, “The Death and Life of the Great American School System,” there are references to Catholic education. Which makes sense, given that Ms. Ravitch is addressing and deploring recent efforts to reform public schools with extensive testing and increasing privatization.
Yet what subtly informs both her critique and her recommendations for improving public schools is, in significant measure, her long study of and admiration for Roman Catholic education.
“If you’re serious about education reform, you have to pay attention to what Catholic schools are doing,” said Joseph P. Viteritti, a professor of public policy at Hunter College who has edited four books with Ms. Ravitch. “The fact of the matter is that they’ve (Catholic Schools) been educating urban kids better than they’re being educated elsewhere.”
In books like “High School Achievement” and “Public and Private High Schools,” James S. Coleman particularly singled out Catholic schools for their core curriculum that embodied the “common school ideal” and for the “social capital” they built by involving parents and parishioners.
(Referring to Charter Schools), Ms. Ravitch said. “But charter schools can’t do the same things. The Catholic schools have a well-established record of being effective, and they’re being replaced by schools that have no track record.” (End of excerpts)
While Public School class sizes increase and programs are cut, Transfiguration is looking to create a new, modern Science lab and introducing a new Engineering and Technology Program (ENTECH) supported by its own ENTECH Lab beginning next year along with other improvements at the Bergenfield campus.
Transfiguration Academy embodies the values and traditions which have made Catholic Schools the leaders in academic achievement, and social and moral standards. Parents and children understand the value system, and what is expected of them. A disciplined environment based on Gospel values, and mutual respect help children learn. Students are taught to be responsible for their own actions, and to respect themselves and their peers.
Transfiguration Academy embraces the whole student while preparing them for their future.
The spiritual is allowed to be integrated with the secular. Inherent is the belief that a child is a whole being; the soul is not separated from the mind. We prepare our students to take on our world with empathy and Christian action.
Special Note: To date our graduates have won over $2.3 million in scholarships to Catholic and private High Schools
The question is not whether your can afford to send your child to Catholic school,
BUT
can you afford not to?
There are many reasons people choose alternatives to their public school system. Now we have a research report from the Center for Research on Educational Outcomes which raises questions regarding the much publicized Charter Schools as reported in the New York Times.
“The majority of the 5,000 or so charter schools nationwide appear to be no better, and in many cases worse, than local public schools when measured by achievement on standardized tests, according to experts citing years of research. Last year one of the most comprehensive studies, by researchers from Stanford University, found that fewer than one-fifth of charter schools nationally offered a better education than comparable local schools, almost half offered an equivalent education and more than a third, 37 percent, were “significantly worse.”
Although “charter schools have become a rallying cry for education reformers,” the report, by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes, warned, “this study reveals in unmistakable terms that, in the aggregate, charter students are not faring as well” as students in traditional schools.
The education historian Diane Ravitch offers a parallel critique. “Charters enroll 3 percent of the kids,” she said. “The system that educates 97 percent, no one’s paying any attention to.”
In our Catholic schools, and particularly Transfiguration, there is no question as to what centers the community. Parents and children understand the value system, and what is expected of them. A disciplined environment based on Gospel values, and mutual respect help children learn.
They are taught to be responsible for their own actions, and to respect themselves and their peers. Catholic school embraces the whole person while preparing them for their future.
In Catholic schools the spiritual is allowed to be integrated with the secular. Inherent is the belief that a child is a whole being; the soul is not separated from the mind. We prepare our students to take on our world with empathy and Christian action.
Oh and did we mention in our 4years to date our graduates have won over $2.3 million in scholarships to Catholic and private High Schools
The question is not whether your can afford to send your child to Catholic School, BUT can you afford not to?
Catholic School –Dividends for Life
REGISTRATION
Registration is now open to all children interested in attending Transfiguration Academy, Pre K 2 Plus through 7th grade. Children who will be 21/2 years old by May 1st, 2010 will be eligible to enroll in our new 2+ Program, which will begin in September, 2010. For more information and to register, please call, 201-384-3627. Please note that children accepted into this program will enter the Pre-K 3 Program the following year, due to New Jersey, Department of Education requirements.
All eligible students, Pre-K through 7th grade, may be enrolled by visiting the school office at the appropriate campus. We will be happy to conduct tours of our facilities and discuss our outstanding curriculum and the latest technological advances which make Transfiguration Academy a leader in Educational Excellence.
If you wish to arrange an appointment to tour the facilities and see the school in session please call 201-384-3627, or 201-836-7074. We invite you to visit our website:
www.transfigurationacademy.org
Catholic School as a Choice
There are many reasons people choose alternatives to their public school system. Two reasons, however, stand above the rest. One is dissatisfaction with their public school system. Personal experience, anecdotal stories from friends, published test scores; the reasons are as varied as the people in the school. ..'
The other is they seek something public schools by law are not allowed to offer - their faith. While the culture and identity is unmistakably religious in Catholic schools, it is not what the school is all about. It goes beyond being able to pray or talk about Jesus and God. It is the belief in what doing these things (and others) stand for, and more importantly, exposure to the example set by Christ, that hopefully forms a human prepared to do their best as they live in our world. Catholic schools allow families to pass on their tradition.
In our Catholic school there is no question as to what centers the community. Parents and children understand the value system, and what is expected of them. Prayer and spirituality are not just extras; they are the essence of the school.
A disciplined environment based on mutual respect helps children learn. Our Catholic school teaches that discipline is about responsibility and respect rather than punitive measures.
They are taught to be responsible for their own actions, and to respect themselves and their peers. Bullying and cruelty are dealt with directly to prevent the isolation that can evolve into a far worse future.
Catholic school embraces the whole person while preparing them for their future.
In Catholic schools the spiritual is allowed to be integrated with the secular. Inherent is the belief a child is a whole being; the soul is not separated from the mind. Attention to the development of a person prepares them to take on our world with empathy and action.
The question is not whether your can afford to send your child to Catholic School, BUT can you afford not to?
Catholic School –Dividends for Life
Special Offer from the Garden Café
for Transfiguration and our Co-Sponsoring parishioners.
The Garden Café located on Henley Ave, New Milford is offering all Members of St. Mary’s, St. John’s and Ascension parishes, as well as, all members of Transfiguration Academy 10% off Breakfast, the last Sunday of every Month. Good food, good friends, good atmosphere
Registration for the 2010 /2011 School Year is open
We would like to invite anyone interested in attending Transfiguration Academy in the fall to call our Lower School in Bergenfield (Pre K – 4th Grades) at 201-384-3627 and our Upper School in New Milford (5th – 8th Grades) at 201-836-7074. We will be happy to conduct tours of our facilities and discuss our outstanding curriculum and the latest technological advances that make Transfiguration Academy a leader in educational excellence.
We are now taking registration applications for the 2010-2011 school year. The Administration, Faculty and Staff of Transfiguration Academy wish you and yours A Blessed and Happy Easter
Transfiguration Academy
Strengthening Faith, Enlightening minds, Transforming hearts….. One Student at a Time
STOCKS DOWN! MORAL BANKRUPTCY! SCAMS REPLACE ETHICS!
THE TRANSFIGURATION ACADEMY
STIMULUS PACKAGE
Ø Middle States Accredited
Ø Award Winning Curriculum
Ø Interactive Smart Board Technology
Ø State of the Art Computer and Science Labs
Ø Fine Arts and Foreign Language Curriculums
Ø Extra Curricular Activities and Sports Program
Ø Before Care and After Care Programs
Ø Early Childhood Learning Center and Secure playground
Transfiguration Academy:
Strengthening Faith, Enlightening Minds, Transforming Hearts
One Student at a Time
Begin the Transformation
ARE YOU FRUSTRATED with schools that don’t make the grade?
ARE YOU IN NEED of a school where your child can achieve his /her full potential?
TRANSFIGURATION ACADEMY IS THE ANSWER!
Ø Middle States Accredited
Ø Award Winning Curriculum
Ø Interactive Smart Board Technology
Ø State of the Art Computer and Science Labs
Ø Fine Arts and Foreign Language Curriculums
Ø Extra Curricular Activities and Sports Program
Ø Before Care and After Care Programs
Ø Early Childhood Learning Center and Secure playground
Transfiguration Academy:
Strengthening Faith, Enlightening Minds, Transforming Hearts
One Student at a Time
Begin the Transformation
Registration for the 2010 / 2011 School Year is open
We would like to invite anyone interested in attending Transfiguration Academy in the fall to call our Lower School in Bergenfield (Pre K – 4th Grades) at 201-384-3627 and our Upper School in New Milford (5th – 8th Grades) at 201-836-7074. We will be happy to conduct tours of our facilities and discuss our outstanding curriculum and the latest technological advances that make Transfiguration Academy a leader in educational excellence. We are now taking registration applications for the 2010-2011 school year.
Six Transfiguration 8th Graders to Interview at Bergen County Academies
As the final step in the acceptance process for Bergen County Academies, 6 Transfiguration Academy students having passed the written exam and whose Transfiguration grades qualify them for consideration have been selected to interview fro the Bergen County Academies (BCA).
Bergen County Academies is a National Blue Ribbon high school and having gotten this far in the acceptance process is a credit to the 6 individuals and to our school. We will keep you posted as we hope to add to the over $250, 000 in scholarships and grants already won by this year’s graduating class.
If you’re keeping a running tally, the total amount of scholarships and grants won in the 4 years since Transfiguration was established is nearing $1, 600,000.
The question not whether your can afford to send your child to Catholic school, but can you afford not to?
Catholic School –Dividends For Life
Registration for the 2010 /2011 School Year is open
The 2010 Graduating Class of Transfiguration Academy received their high school acceptance letters on Jan. 22nd. Once again an Academy graduating class distinguished themselves by their admittance to the most prestigious high schools in the area, many into the honors and high honors programs.
These schools include Regis, Immaculate Heart Academy, Academy of the Holy Angels, Paramus Catholic, Bergen Catholic, St. Joseph Regional, Immaculate Conception, and Don Bosco Prep. Although not all the results are in, to date, this class has been awarded approximately $250,000 in scholarships with more to come, as we await the results from Bergen County Academies, and the scholarship test results from some of the aforementioned high schools.
To date, this brings the four year total of scholarships and grants won by Transfiguration grads, to over $1,500,000, and beat goes on!
Congratulations to the 8th grade, their parents, and the entire faculty for a job well done.
“GO GET ‘EM Tigers”
assume that students will automatically return! In years past, parents and administration made that assumption.
I would like to emphasize that this practice is no longer acceptable. . We have already received a number of requests for registration forms and anticipate slots will fill quickly so we urge you to register early.
You are our best advertisers. So, I ask you to get the word out.
“Together We CAN Achieve the Extraordinary.”
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